


Out of Control (Companion)

by ChildOfSolace



Series: Endless Twilight Saga Companions [1]
Category: Endless Summer (Visual Novel)
Genre: Companion Piece, F/M, Introspection, M/M, Twilight References
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-20
Updated: 2019-11-20
Packaged: 2021-02-13 16:44:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21497272
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChildOfSolace/pseuds/ChildOfSolace
Summary: Companion fic toEndless TwilightJake McKenzie thinks about Taylor Lee, and his un-dead life as his knows it turns upside down.
Relationships: Craig Hsiao/Zahra Namazi, Jake McKenzie/Main Character (Endless Summer), Kele/Quinn Kelly
Series: Endless Twilight Saga Companions [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1552624
Comments: 5
Kudos: 4





	Out of Control (Companion)

**Author's Note:**

> As promised, here is Jake's POV.
> 
> If you have any suggestions or requests on what scenes you want to read about through Jake's POV, let us know in the comments.
> 
> If you have any particulars that you want us to delve on lengthily on future interims, please let us know in the comments. 
> 
> We'll see if you we can indulge your preference.
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> x Our love to you all x

**I.**

**A New Scent**

When Jake refused to go with the others to the mountains last weekend for some feeding, he didn't expect to regret it at all. When they set out for it, he hadn't felt the need yet to quench his thirst so he stayed at home with Grace and Quinn. Mike had always told them that they could go feeding any time they felt like it, especially during weather not recommended for hiking. It avoided the chances of running into humans after all. Jake had chanced upon a rabbit that morning, which had been hopping aimlessly around their yard. He hadn't been up for the hassle, at the time.

This was the time of day when he wished he were able to sleep. College. Or was purgatory the right word? If there was some way to atone for his sins, he figured this ought to be as good a place as any to start. The tedium wasn't something he'd ever grown used to; every day seemed more impossibly monotonous than the last. He supposed this was his form of sleep, in a way; if sleep was defined as the inert state between active periods.

He stared at the cracks running through the plaster in the far corner of the cafeteria, imagining patterns into them that weren't there. It was one way to tune out the voices that babbled like the gush of a river inside of his head. Several hundred of these voices he ignored out of boredom.

When it came to the human mind, he'd heard it all before and then some. Today, all thoughts were consumed with the trivial drama of a new addition to the small student body at Berry College. It took so little to work them all up. He'd seen the new face repeated in thought after thought from every angle. Just an ordinary human guy. The excitement over his arrival was tiresomely predictable; like flashing a shiny object at a child. Half the idiot males were already imagining themselves in love with him, just because he was something new to look at.

Jake tried harder to tune them out.

Only four voices did he block out of courtesy rather than distaste; his family. Two brothers and two sisters, who were so used to the lack of privacy in his presence that they rarely gave it a thought. He gave them what privacy he could, regardless; and he tried not to listen if he was able to help it. Try as he may, still... he knew.

Zahra was thinking, as usual, about what server she could hack into and cause some damage with. She'd been through all the FBI's files last month; and was still mulling over the next big challenge. Zahra's mind was filled with surprises, usually unpleasant.

Craig was fuming over a wrestling match he'd lost to Kele during the night. It would take all his limited patience to make it to the end of the college day to orchestrate a rematch. Jake never really felt intrusive hearing Craig's thoughts, because he never thought one thing that he would not say aloud or put into action. Perhaps Jake only felt guilty reading the others' minds because he knew there were things there that they wouldn't want him to know.

Kele was... suffering. Jake suppressed a sigh.

_Jake._ Quinn called his name in her head; and had his full attention at once. It was just the same as having his name called aloud. His head didn't turn. He and Quinn were good at these private conversations by now. It was rare that anyone in their family caught them anymore. Jake kept his eyes on the lines in the plaster. _How is he holding up?_ she asked him silently.

Jake frowned, just a small change in the set of his mouth. Nothing that would tip the others off. He could easily be frowning out of boredom. Quinn's mental tone was alarmed then, and he saw in her mind that she was watching Kele in her peripheral vision.

_Is there any danger?_ She searched ahead, into the immediate future, skimming through visions of monotony for the source behind Jake's frown.

He turned his head slowly to the left, as if looking at the bricks of the wall, sighed; and then to the right, back to the cracks in the ceiling. Only Quinn knew he was shaking his head.

She relaxed. _Let me know if it gets too bad._

He moved only his eyes this time, up to the ceiling above; and then back down.

_Thanks for doing this._

Jake was glad he couldn't answer her aloud; and pleased she couldn't hear his thoughts in return. What should he say? 'My pleasure'? It was hardly that. He didn't enjoy listening to Kele's struggles. He wondered if it was really necessary to experiment in such a way? Wouldn't the safer path be to just admit that the guy might never be able to handle the thirst the way the rest of them could; and not push his limits? Why flirt with disaster? Quinn didn't want to admit it; and Jake understood her feelings, but like it or not, Kele was very dangerous just now.

It was as he was sifting through Kele's turbulent thoughts, that a small girl paused at the end of the closest table to theirs, stopping to talk to a friend. She shook her head, running her fingers through her short hair. The heaters blew her scent in their direction.

Jake was used to the way that scent made him feel by now; the dry ache in his throat, the hollow yearn in his stomach, the automatic tightening of his muscles, the excess flow of venom in his mouth... This was all quite normal, usually easy to ignore. It was just harder for him now, with the feelings stronger, doubled, as he monitored Kele's reaction. Twin thirsts, rather than just his own.

At one point, he had to subtly hit the back legs of Kele's chair when the guy was considering biting a student that passed by.

Jake was quickly growing frustrated with his sentinel duty. Kele would just have to hunt again tonight. It was ridiculous to take risks like this, trying to test his strength, to build his endurance. Kele should just accept his limitations and work within them. The rest of them did their own time getting used to this way of life, and Kele didn't need to rush to get to where they were. His former habits were not conducive to their chosen lifestyle; he shouldn't push himself in such a stupid way.

_Jake McKenzie. _In a reflex reaction; Jake turned to the sound of his name being called, though it wasn't being called, only thought.

His eyes locked for a small portion of a second with a pair of wide, dark blue human eyes set in a pale face and topped with short red spikes. He knew the face, though he'd never seen it for himself; in person. It had been foremost in every human head today, however. The new student, Taylorence Lee. Son of the town's Chief of Police, brought to live here by some new custody situation. Taylor. He'd corrected everyone who'd used his full name with varying degrees of both frustration and resignation.

Jake looked away, bored. It took him a second longer to realize that he had not been the one to think his name. _Of course he's already crushing on a McKenzie_, I heard the first thought continue. _Everyone does. _Jake abruptly recognised the voice with a barely repressed grimace.

Zoe Leon. It had been a while since she'd bothered him with her internal chatter. What a relief it had been when she'd gotten over her misplaced infatuation and refocused on her at the time boyfriend, Caleb Mitchell. It had been nearly impossible for Jake to escape her constant, ridiculous daydreams. He'd wished, at the time, that he could have explained to her exactly what would have happened if his lips; and the teeth behind them, had gotten anywhere near her. It certainly would have silenced those annoying fantasies, at the very least. The thought of her reaction almost made me smile. He didn't quite manage to repress his small, self-satisfied, smirk when he heard that she still wasn't entirely over being turned down by him.

_Can't say I blame her_... He thought smugly.

_Fat lot of good it will do him,_ Zoe went on. _He's really not even that good looking; and certainly not enough for McKenzie. I don't know why the guys are staring so much..._

She winced mentally as she thought of Brian Crandall. Her new infatuation, the generically unpopular creep, was completely oblivious to her. Apparently, he was not as oblivious to the new guy; though his thoughts were, somewhat sickening. Like the child with the shiny object again; only he was more into breaking that toy than keeping it around to play with more than once. This put a mean edge to Zoe's thoughts, though she was outwardly cordial to the newcomer as she explained to her the commonly held knowledge about the Darwin family.

"Goldigger Barbie's givin' the new Lee guy all the dirty laundry on the Darwin clan," he murmured to Quinn as a distraction.

She giggled under her breath. _I hope she's making it good,_ she thought.

"Nah, pretty borin' shit. Barest hint o' scandal. No horror stories or nothin'. Kinda disappointed."

_And the new guy? Is he disappointed in the gossip as well?_

Jake listened to hear what this new guy, Taylor, thought of Zoe's story. What did he see when he looked at the strange, chalky skinned family that was universally avoided?

It was sort of Jake's responsibility to know his reaction. He acted as a lookout, the first defense for his family. To protect them all. If anyone ever grew suspicious, Jake could give them early warning and an easy retreat. It happened occasionally; some human with an over-active imagination would see them in the characters of a book or a movie. Usually they got it wrong, but very, very rarely; someone would guess right. They didn't give them a chance to test their hypothesis. They simply disappeared, to become no more than a frightening memory.

Jake heard nothing, though he listened close beside where Zoe's frivolous internal monologue continued to gush. It was as if there was no one sitting beside her.

_What the hell? Had the new guy moved?_

That didn't seem likely, as Zoe was still babbling to him. Jake looked up to check, feeling off-balance. Checking on what his extra 'hearing' could tell him; well, it wasn't something he could remember ever having to do before.

He was sitting right where he had been before; and now looking at over at them, a natural thing to be doing, Jake supposed, as Zoe was still regaling him with the local gossip about the Darwin's. Thinking about them, too, would be natural.

But Jake couldn't hear a whisper.

Inviting warm red stained his cheeks as she looked down, away from the embarrassing gaffe of getting caught staring at a stranger. It was good that Kele was now gazing out the window. Jake didn't like to imagine what that easy pooling of blood would do to his control.

The emotions had been as clear on his face as if they were spelled out in words across his forehead: surprise, as he unknowingly absorbed the signs of the subtle differences between his kind and Jake's. Curiosity, as he listened to Zoe's tale; and something more... fascination? It wouldn't be the first time. Jake knew they were beautiful to _them,_ their intended prey. Then, finally, embarrassment as he'd caught the redhead staring at him.

And yet, though his thoughts had been so clear in his odd eyes; odd, because of the depth to them. Blue eyes that deep often seemed alive in their darkness, Jake could hear nothing but silence from the place he was sitting. Nothing at all.

Jake felt a moment of unease.

This was nothing he'd ever encountered before. _There somethin' wrong with me?_ He wondered, though he felt exactly the same as he always did. Worried, he began to listen harder. All the voices he'd been blocking were suddenly shouting in his head, with all their thoughts fixated; on Taylor Lee.

Jake could hear every insignificant thing the rest of the college were thinking, as it passed through their minds. But nothing at all from the new student with the deceptively communicative eyes. Not to mention, of course, he could hear what the guy said when he spoke to Zoe. He didn't have to read minds to be able to hear his low, clear voice on the far side of the long room.

"Which one is the guy with the shaggy brown hair?" He heard the redhead ask, sneaking a look at Jake from the corner of his eye, only to look quickly away when he saw that Jake was still staring.

If he'd had time to hope that hearing the sound of his voice would help him pinpoint the tone of his thoughts, lost somewhere where Jake couldn't access them; he was instantly disappointed. Usually, people's thoughts came to them in a similar pitch as their physical voices. But this quiet, shy voice was unfamiliar, not one of the hundreds of thoughts bouncing around the room, he was sure of that. Entirely new.

Beneath the transient humor he felt at Zoe's snarky reply, Jake felt a strange impulse, one he did not clearly understand. He assumed it had something to do with the vicious edge to Zoe's thoughts that the new guy was unaware of... but Jake felt the strangest urge to step in between them, to shield this Taylor Lee from the darker workings of Zoe's mind. Trying to ferret out the motivations behind the impulse, Jake examined the new guy one more time.

Perhaps it was just some long buried protective instinct, Jake had considered, the strong for the weak. The guy looked more fragile than his new classmates. His skin was so translucent it was hard to believe it offered him much defense from the outside world. He could see the rhythmic pulse of blood through his veins under the clear, pale membrane; but he told himself not concentrate on that too much. Jake was good at this life he'd chosen, but he was just as thirsty as Kele since he'd refused to go on the hunt last weekend; and he knew there was no point in inviting temptation.

There was a faint crease between Taylor's eyebrows that he seemed unaware of. Jake was unbelievable frustrated by it. He could clearly see that it was a strain for him to sit there, to make conversation with strangers, to be the center of attention. He could sense his shyness that he was trying to overcome his shoulders hunched, as if he was expecting a rebuff at any moment. And yet Jake only sense, could only see, could only imagine. There was nothing but silence from the very unexceptional human redhead. He could hear nothing.

_Why_? 

"We going or what, dorks?" Zahra sighed, interrupting Jake's focus.

Jake looked away from the guy with a sense of relief. He didn't want to continue to fail at this; it irritated him. And he didn't want to develop any interest in the guys hidden thoughts simply because they were hidden. No doubt, when Jake would decipher his thoughts; and definitely would find a way to do so, they would be just as petty and trivial as any human's thoughts. Not worth the effort Jake would expend to reach them.

"So, is the new one afraid of us yet?" Zahra asked, still waiting for his response to her question before.

Jake shrugged. Zahra wasn't interested enough to press for more information. Jake knew he shouldn't be either.

In the classroom, Jake settled into his chair and let his books; props, again, spill out before him, while he propped his boots up on the table. He was the only student who had a table to himself. He was usually amused that human survival instincts were enough to keep them away from him; but today he was too lost in his thoughts about the concerning slip he’d experienced with his ‘hearing’.

The room slowly filled as they trickled in from lunch. Jake leaned back in his chair and waited for the time to pass. Again, he wished he were able to sleep. He glanced at the doorway briefly when he’d heard the quiet murmur of Cameron Levy, his eyes flicking from them to the redhead walking into the room beside them.

Still, from the place where Taylor Lee stood, nothing. The empty space where his thoughts should be irritated and unnerved Jake. The human came closer, walking down the aisle beside him to get to the lecturer's desk.

Jake had the only available seat beside him, but he doubted he would feel very comfortable there. He was in for a long semester; in this class, at least. _Maybe sittin’ beside him, I can be able to flush out his secrets… though I ain’t ever needed to be so damn close before; and it ain’t like I‘d find anythin’ worth listenin’ to _.

Taylor Lee walked into the flow of the heated air that blew toward Jake from the vent.

His scent hit Jake like wrecking ball, like a battering ram. There was no image violent enough to encapsulate the force of what happened to him in that moment. In that instant, Jake was nothing close to the human he'd once been; no trace of the shreds of humanity he'd managed to cloak himself in remained.

Jake was a predator. Taylor was his prey. There was nothing else in the whole world but that truth.

There was no room full of witnesses; they were nothing but collateral damage in his head. The mystery of his hidden thoughts was forgotten. His thoughts meant nothing, for he would not go on thinking them much longer.

Jake was a vampire, and Taylor had the sweetest blood he'd smelled in eighty years. He hadn't imagined such a scent could exist. If he'd known it did, he would have gone searching for it long ago. He would have combed the planet for it. He could only imagine the taste...

Thirst burned through Jake’s throat like fire. His mouth was baked and desiccated; and the fresh flow of venom did nothing to dispel that sensation. His stomach twisted with the hunger that was an echo of the thirst. His muscles coiled to spring.

Not a full second had passed. Taylor was still taking the same step that had put him downwind from Jake.

As his foot touched the ground, his eyes slid toward Jake, a movement he clearly meant to be stealthy. His glance met Jake’s, and he saw himself reflected in the wide mirror of his eyes.

The shock of the face Jake saw there saved his life for a few thorny moments.

Though, Taylor didn't make it easier. When he processed the expression on Jake’s face, blood flooded his cheeks again, turning his skin the most delicious color Jake had ever seen. The scent was a thick haze in his brain. I could barely think through it. His thoughts raged, resisting control, incoherent.

Jake tried to focus on the face he'd seen in her eyes, a face he recognized with revulsion. The face of the monster in him; the face he'd beaten back with decades of effort and uncompromising discipline.

The scent swirled around him again, scattering his thoughts and nearly propelling him out of his seat.

Jake knew what had to happen now. Taylor would have to come sit beside him; and Jake would have to kill him.

The innocent bystanders in this classroom, eighteen other students and one lecturer, could not be allowed to leave the room, having seen what they would soon see. This he knew not only from the un-life he now lived, but also from his limited stretch in the military some decades before.

Jake flinched at the thought of what he must do. Even at his very worst, he had never committed such an atrocity. He had never killed innocents, not in over eight decades.

And now he planned to slaughter twenty of them at once.

_If I kill him first, I got ‘bout fifteen, maybe twenty seconds with him ‘fore the rest start screamin’. Maybe a little longer, if they’re dumb enough. _He thought distantly, amending that Taylor would not have time to scream or feel pain; he would not kill him cruelly. That much he could give this stranger with his horribly desirable blood. _But then I gotta stop ‘em escapin’. Ain’t gotta worry ‘bout windows; too high up. ‘S just the door; block that and they’re trapped._

The scent punished him, closing his throat with dry aching...

Jake was already mapping it out in his head. He was in the middle of the room, the furthest row in the back. He estimated it would take him, at most, five seconds to end every life in the room.

Long enough for Taylor Lee to see, briefly, what was coming for him. Long enough for him to feel fear. Long enough, maybe, if shock didn't freeze him in place, for him to work up a scream. One soft scream that would not bring anyone running.

Jake took a deep breath; and the scent was a fire that raced through his dry veins, burning out from his chest to consume every better impulse that he was capable of. He was just turning now. In a few seconds, he would sit down inches away from Jake.

The monster in Jake’s head smiled in anticipation.

Someone slammed shut a folder on his left. Jake didn't look up to see which of the doomed humans it was. But the motion sent a wave of ordinary, unscented air wafting across his face.

For one short second, he was able to think clearly. In that precious second, he clearly saw two faces in his head, side by side.

One was his own, or rather had been: the red-eyed monster that had killed so many people that Jake had stopped counting their numbers. Rationalized, justified murders. A killer of killers, a killer of other, less powerful monsters. It was a god complex, he acknowledged that; deciding who deserved a death sentence. It was a compromise with himself. Jake had fed on human blood, but only by the loosest definition. His victims were, in their various dark pastimes, barely more human than he was.

The other face was Mike's.

There was no resemblance between the two faces. They were bright day and blackest night.

There was no reason for there to be a resemblance. Mike was not Jake’s brother in the basic biological sense. They shared no common features. The similarity in their coloring was a product of what they were; every vampire had the same ice pale skin. The occasional similarity in the color of their eyes was another matter; a reflection of a mutual choice.

And yet, though there was no basis for a resemblance, Jake had begun to imagine that his face had begun to reflect Mike’s, to an extent, in the last seventy-odd years that he had embraced his choice and followed in his steps. His features had not changed, but it seemed like some of Mike’s wisdom had marked his expression, that a little of Mike’s compassion could be traced in the shape of his mouth, and hints of Mike’s patience were evident on his brow.

All those tiny improvements were lost in the face of the monster. In a few moments, there would be nothing left in me that would reflect the years I'd spent with his creator, his mentor, his brother in all the ways that counted. His eyes would glow red as a devil's; all likeness would be lost forever.

In Jake’s head, Mike's kind eyes did not judge him. He knew that his brother would forgive him for this horrible act that he would do. Because he loved Jake; and he would still love him, even as the monster.

Taylor Lee sat down in the chair next to Jake, his movements stiff and awkward and the scent of his blood bloomed in an inexorable cloud around him. 

Jake leaned away from him in revulsion; revolted by the monster aching to take him. Why did he have to come here? Why did he have to exist? Why did he have to ruin the little peace Jake had in this non-life of his? Why had this aggravating human ever been born? He would ruin Jake completely.

_Why did he have to smell so fuckin' good..._ the thought was distant, but consistent. Jake barely noticed beyond his distress, but it never once left his mind. He gave it time, hoping that after a while, the temptation would pass and Taylor's scent would start blending and mix with the other bland ones surrounding the room. But to his dismay, it only seemed to get stronger. Every second that ticked away was an eternity.

Jake clenched and un-clenched his fists constantly, gritting his teeth or biting his lip in intervals. If it were possible for him, he would've drawn blood due to this ministrations. 

Of course, that was the irony right there.

He turned his face away from Taylor, as a sudden fierce, unreasoning hatred washed through him.

Who was this creature? Why him, why now? Why did Jake have to lose everything just because he happened to choose this unlikely town to appear in? Why the hell had he come here?!

Jake didn't want to be the monster. He didn't want to kill an entire room full of harmless humans. He didn't want to lose everything he'd gained in a lifetime of sacrifice and denial! He wouldn't. Taylor couldn't make him.

The scent was the problem, the hideously appealing scent of his blood. If there was only some way to resist; if only another gust of fresh air could clear his head. Taylor Lee shook his own head, fanning the scent.

Was he insane? It was as if he were encouraging the monster! Taunting him. There was no friendly breeze to blow the smell away from Jake now. All would soon be lost.

_No helpful breeze... but I don't gotta breathe. _The thought was unexpected; and Jake almost cried with relief as he immediately stopped the flow of air through his lungs. The relief was instantaneous, but incomplete. He still had the memory of the scent in his head, the taste of it on the back of his tongue. He wouldn't be able to resist even that for long. But, perhaps he could resist for an hour. One hour. Just enough time to get out of this room full of victims, victims that maybe didn't have to be victims. If he could resist for one short hour.

The silent guy beside him leaned forward so that he was leaning over his folder. Jake couldn't see his face, to try to read the emotions in his clear, deep eyes. Was this why he'd let propped his chin in his hand? To hide those eyes from him? Out of fear? Shyness? To keep his damnable secrets from Jake?

Jake’s former irritation at being stymied by Taylor’s soundless thoughts was weak and pale in comparison to the need; and the hate, that possessed him now. For hating this frail man beside me, hating him for how he made Jake feel; it helped a little. The irritation he'd felt before was weak, but it, too, helped. Jake clung to any emotion that distracted him from imagining what he would taste like...

Hate and irritation. Impatience. Would the hour never pass?

Jake flinched at the pain of the burning.

He was ashamed, but he made it through the hour imagining all the best ways to kill Taylor. He tried to avoid imagining the actual act, recognizing that might be too much for him; that he might lose his battle and end up killing everyone in sight. So he planned strategy; and nothing more. Like a military exercise; precision, planning. It carried him through the hour.

Once, toward the very end, Taylor peeked up at Jake through his long, elegant fingers. Jake could feel the unjustified hatred burning out of him as he met his gaze; could see the reflection of it in his confused eyes. Blood painted his cheek before he could hide his face again; and Jake was nearly undone.

But the bell rang. Saved by the bell, how cliché. They were both saved. Taylor, saved from death. Jake, saved for just a short time from being the nightmarish creature he feared and loathed.

Jake knew he was walking far too swiftly after class, in urgent need to get as far from Taylor as he could; as quickly as possible. He hid in his car after escaping the room. He didn't like to think it as hiding, he hated how cowardly that wasm but, he had to admit; it was unquestionably the case, nonetheless.

He didn't have enough discipline left to be around humans now. Focusing so much of his efforts on not killing one of them left him no resources to resist the others. Now, Jake wished he hadn't been so flippant about the offer to go hunting at the weekend. He wished he had made the effort and gone regardless of need. He had been a fool to resist; just as he had been condemning Kele earlier.

Jake’s music collection did little to calm him; what helped most now was the cool, wet, clean air that drifted with the light rain through his open windows. Though he could remember the scent of Taylor Lee's blood with perfect clarity, inhaling the clean air was like washing out the inside of his body from its infection. He was sane again. He could think again; and he could fight again. He could fight against what he didn't want to be.He was even mildly amused to remember that there had been a hint of something specific beneath the damnable, irresistible scent of Taylor’s blood; the scent of passion fruit which emanated from him was strange and hadn’t been immediately noticeable while fending off the bloodlust he’d inspired.

While he still found the passion fruit scent distracting, he was able to assure himself that some aggravating and delicious nobody would not ruin the life that he had come to construct for himself. He didn't have to disappoint his brother. I didn't have to cause Grace stress, worry or pain. Grace was so gentle, so tender and soft. Causing someone like Grace pain was truly inexcusable.

How ironic that Jake had wanted to protect this human guy from the paltry, toothless threat of Zoe Leon's snide thoughts. He snorted and shook his head; he was the last person who would ever stand as a protector for Taylorence Lee. He would never need protection from anything more; than he needed it from Jake.

Jake wondered abruptly why Quinn hadn’t come to help him. Help him resist or help him clear up the evidence, he wasn’t sure he wanted to even guess which; but he assumed she was too busy watching Kele in his class. He wished he could ask her advice, but at the same time, he was glad she didn't know what Jake was really capable of. That she was unaware of the massacre he’d considered in the last hour.

He felt a new burn through his body; the burn of shame. He didn't want any of them to know.

Jake needed to figure out a way to alleviate the strain, maybe even get rid of it entirely. If he could avoid Taylor Lee, if he could manage _not_ to kill him; then no one would have to know. If he could keep away from the redhead’s scent. There was no reason why he shouldn't try, at least. Make a good choice. Try to be what Mike thought he was.

The last hour of school was almost over when Jake decided to put his new plan into action. Better than sitting in the parking lot where Taylor might pass by and ruin his attempt. Again, he felt the unjust hatred for the guy. He hated that he had this unconscious power over him. That he could make Jake be something he reviled.

He walked a little too swiftly to the office, but there were luckily, no witnesses. There was no reason for Taylor Lee to cross paths with him. He would be avoided like the plague he was.

"Mrs. Starr?" The woman with the black hair looked up and her eyes widened. It always caught them off guard, when one of them walked into a room so silently.

"Oh," she gasped, a little flustered. "Hello, Jake. What can I do for you?" Her eyelashes fluttered behind her thick glasses.

_Uncomfortable,_ Jake assessed. But he knew how to be charming when he wanted to be. It was easy, since he was able to know instantly how any tone or gesture was taken. He leaned forward, meeting her gaze as if he were staring deeply into her depth-less, small brown eyes. Her thoughts were already in a flutter. "I was wonderin’ if ya can help me with my schedule," Jake said in the soft voice he reserved for not scaring humans.

"Of course, Jake. How can I help?" _Too young, too young, _she chanted to herself. Wrong, of course. Jake was older than her grandfather. But according to his driver's license, she was right.

"Was wonderin’ if I could move from my English Lit class to a sophomore class? Before lunch, perhaps?"

"It there a problem with Mr. Chalmers, Jake?"

"Nah, it's just I already studied this material..."

"In that accelerated school you all went to in the Caribbean, right." Her thin lips pursed as she considered this. "I'm sorry, Jake, the other classes are all pretty much full right now. Mr. Chalmers hates to have more than twenty five students in a class... there just aren't enough seats anywhere else, I’m afraid."

Fortune did not seem to be smiling on him that day.

"Can ya check again?" Jake practically hissed, almost vehemently. "I'll take whatever ya got."

The lady checked through some paperwork once more, and the sandy brunet barely managed to resist the urge to snort or even roll his eyes at her line of thought. _Calm down, Gretchen. Too young, too young, too young..._

_Actually, too old, too old, too goddamn old, _Jake snarked to himself as a way to placate himself.

Once more, Gretchen gave him a regretful negative. 

"Alright, fine… what've I gotta sign if I'm droppin' out?"

"Drop English Lit?" Her mouth fell open. "You won't have enough credits to graduate at the end of the year; dropping a major isn’t easily done."

"I'll catch up next year."

"Maybe you should talk to your family about that."

The door opened behind Jake, but who ever it was did not think of him, so he ignored the arrival and concentrated on Mrs. Starr. He leaned slightly closer, and held his eyes a little wider. The blackness frightened her, as it should.

"C'mon, Mrs. Starr?" Jake made his voice as smooth and compelling as it could be; an achievement in itself with his heavy southern accent. "Ain't there _somethin’_ I could switch to? There’s gotta be an open slot somewhere? Sixth hour English Lit can't be the only option..." Jake smiled at her, careful not to flash his teeth so widely that it would scare her, letting the expression soften his rugged, scruff dusted face.

A second was all it took to change everything: the atmosphere in the room, his mission there, the reason he was leaned toward the black haired woman; what had been for one purpose before, was now for another. A second was all it took for a student to open the door and place a signed tardy slip in the basket by the door. A second was all it took for the sudden gust of wind through the open door to crash into Jake. A second was all it took for him to realize why that first person through the door had not interrupted him with his thoughts.

Jake turned, though he didn’t need to make sure. He turned slowly, fighting to control the muscles that rebelled against him.

Taylor Lee stood with his back pressed to the wall beside the door, a piece of paper clutched in his hands. His eyes were even wider than usual as he took in Jake’s ferocious, inhuman glare.

The smell of his blood saturated every particle of air in the tiny, hot room. Jake’s throat burst into flames; the amusing undertone of passion fruit lost once more.

The monster glared back at Jake from the mirror of Taylor’s eyes again, a mask of evil. His hand hesitated in the air above the counter. He would not have to look back in order to reach across it and slam Mrs. Starr’s head into her desk with enough force to kill her. Two lives, rather than twenty. A trade.

The monster waited anxiously, hungrily, for Jake to do it.

But there was always a choice; there had to be.

Jake cut off the motion of his lungs, and fixed Mike's face in front of his eyes. "Aw, to hell with it, then," he bit out the abrupt snarl with the limited air he had left already inside him, before he spun and launched himself from the room, trying not to feel the warm-blooded heat of Taylor’s body as he passed within inches of it.

He didn't stop until he was in his car, moving too fast the entire way there. When he slid into hisAudi, the others were already there. He tried to control his breathing, but he was gasping at the fresh air like he'd been suffocated. "Jake?" Quinn asked, alarm in her voice.

Jake just shook his head at her.

"What the hell happened to _you,_ brah?" Craig demanded, distracted, for the moment, from the fact that Kele was not in the mood for his rematch.

Instead of answering, Jake threw the car into reverse. He had to get out of the damn lot before Taylor Lee could follow his there, too. Jake’s own personal demon, haunting him. He swung the car around and accelerated and hit forty before he was even on the road.

On the road, he hit seventy before he made the corner.

Without looking, Jake knew that Craig, Zahra and Kele had all turned to stare at Quinn. She shrugged. She couldn't see what had passed, only what was coming. She looked ahead for him now. They both processed what he saw in her head, and they were both surprised.

"You're leaving?" she whispered.

The others stared at Jake now.

"Am I?" He hissed through his teeth.

She saw it then, as his resolve wavered and another choice spun his future in a darker direction.

"Oh."

Taylor Lee, dead. Jake’s eyes, glowing crimson with fresh blood. The search that would follow. The careful time they would wait before it was safe for them to pull out and start again.

"Oh," she said again. The picture grew more specific. Jake saw the inside of Chief Lee's house for the first time, saw Taylor in a small kitchen with the yellow cupboards, his back to Jake as he stalked him from the shadows; let the scent pull the monster toward the redhead.

"Stop!" Jake groaned, not able to bear more.

"Sorry," she whispered, her eyes wide.

The monster rejoiced.

And the vision in her head shifted again. An empty highway at night, the trees beside it coated in snow, flashing by at almost two hundred miles per hour.

"I'll miss you," she said. "No matter how short a time you're gone."

Jake knew he would miss them too.

* * *

**II. Confrontation**

Like a criminal on the run, Jake took off after that. He didn't think, travelling without destination in mind; only that it needed to be far. In the end, he went to visit a relative clan. The Bhandarkar's, still living on the same mountaintop that they'd built themselves a hundred and thirty two years ago. Jake could still remember the housewarming party. It'd put Mardi Gras to shame. They were an extension family, in the sense that they lived a similar lifestyle to how Mike had taught the rest of them to survive. But, they would never really compare to his chosen family.

Six days passed, with alarming haste and little change.

Six days he'd hidden in the empty Bhandarkar wilderness, but he was no closer to freedom than he had been since the first moment that he'd caught Taylor's scent. It never got any better.

He heard the approaching thoughts before he heard the footsteps that accompanied them. The sound of movement was only a faint whisper against the powder. He wasn't surprised that Raj had followed him. Jake knew he'd been mulling over this coming conversation for the last few days, putting it off until he was sure of exactly what he wanted to say.

He crouched down on the point of the stone, his fingertips touching the rock, his body coiled around his large belly. _Cannonball_, he thought.

Raj launched himself into the air; his shape became a dark, twisting shadow as he spun more gracefully than such a large man had a right to, between Jake and the stars. He curled himself into a ball just as he struck the piled snow bank beside Jake.

A blizzard of snow flew up around him. The stars went black; and he was buried deep in the feathery ice crystals.

Jake sighed again, but didn't move to unearth himself. The blackness under the snow neither hurt nor improved the view. He still saw the same face.

Then snow was flying again as Raj swiftly disinterred him. He brushed the powder from Jake's unmoving face, not quite meeting his eyes.

"Sorry," he murmured. "It was a joke."

"It was funny." Raj's mouth twisted at Jake's unenthusiastic reply.

_You're going home, aren't you?_ He thought.

"I ain't entirely... I dunno yet."

_But you're not staying here._ His thought was wistful now, sad.

"No. It ain't... helpin'."

Raj grimaced. "That's Yvonne's fault, isn't it?"

"Of course not," Jake lied smoothly.

_Don't be a gentleman. _Jake grinned lightly at Raj's thought.

_She makes you uncomfortable,_ he accused.

"No."

Raj raised one eyebrow, his expression so disbelieving that Jake had to laugh. One short laugh, followed by another sigh. "All right," he admitted. "A little bit."

It wasn't that he minded the former pirate, or that he was really averse to her flirting; knowing it was mostly for show whenever her lover, her mate, was being particularly thick headed. She would cozy up, make a show of swatting Jake's ass or whispering lewdly in his ear; all just to tease Malatesta. 

With Jake in the mood he had been, it wasn't something he could see the funny side of; even when Malatesta did blow a gasket over it.

They were silent for a moment, old companionship lingering between them still, despite the decades between their last reunion. "I think you'll go back," Raj said after taking a deep breath, looking over with a fond grin. "No matter what it is; or _who_ it is... that's haunting you. You'll face it head on. You're that type, dude." His thoughts were as certain as his words. 

"... thanks, Taco Ninja." Jake finally sighed, bumping his fist to Raj's when the rotund man with the eternal boyish face grinned and offered it to him. "I think I kinda needed that." He said, nodding his head as he recalled where he'd left Mike's car six days prior, already backing away. "I'll tell Drax ya said hey." He added as he saluted his friend roughly, before turning and running into the darkness; determined to face the monster hidden within him and return to his true family.

It took him barely a day to get home. Quinn had seen him coming and gathered the others. Mike had been proud. It was good to be home.

But now? His certainty over the course of his actions was rapidly fading. Jake hadn't believed he would have to worry about his self control again, he thought he already had a solid handle on it since at least seventy odd years ago. Abstaining from human blood was still uncomfortable, he knew it always would be, in a way; but it felt more like a mild itch at this point, rather than a ravenous scorching. Mike had been baffled when he'd asked him for a crash course in restraint, having to guide Jake through what he'd thought he had always been a relative natural at... when he wanted to be.

Right now, Jake was doing something Mike liked to call a 'Safety check.' It was something Mike still did with Kele, since he was the most recent addition to their clan. Especially considering what the soldier did before he'd met Quinn; and before they both joined the clan. The Darwin way of life was something especially difficult for Kele to adapt with. Though everyone knew he did his best and wanted to nail the transition.

They'd all been there. They had faith Kele would pull through.

"I thought you were an expert already, flyboy."

Jake scowled at Kele's direction as they waited for Mike to return. "Aw, shove off, Uncle Sam. It ain't funny."

"Test time, kiddies." They looked up as Mike made an appearance, gesturing to a clearing just a few miles ahead; filled with a herd of Elk which he'd just herded with Quinn and Craig's help. "Ya smell those beauties?" He asked, raising a brow and glancing between the two. Kele scrunched up his nose in reply, still not completely able to find the appeal of this type of diet. Jake thought nothing of it; he was only there for the crash course on self-control. "We're gonna wait right here, with those Elk right in front of ya; but ya ain't allowed to sink ya teeth in till my say-so... we'll move if they break away, but otherwise... settle yaselves in for a long ass wait."

Jake snorted, "Aye, aye, Bucky." He snarked, giving their clan's patriarch a mock salute; Mike would always be his best friend, even when Jake knew he didn't entirely deserve him.

"Ya been watchin' too many of them superhero movies, Grandpa." Mike snorted, shaking his head and sauntering over to lean against the tree nearest Jake. "Don't tell me ya turnin' into a damn Marvel nut now?"

"Hey, shut up, Kid." Jake groused, tussling with Mike playfully. He kept half an eye on Kele, or rather, half an ear; making sure he would know to warn Mike if the call of pumping blood just through the trees proved too much for the other vampire. "Ya sorry ass bastard, don't be thinkin' I'm jumpin' ship, just 'cause I know more'n one damn superhero."

So the night had gone on, the three of them in the clearing; Jake and Mike tussling, Kele hovering awkwardly, fighting his every urge despite his extremely different upbringing.

Such was the effort Jake had exerted; before he felt even somewhat close to ready, to face Taylor Lee again.

Jake had gone back to college the following day; a full week of hiding behind him. Despite his decision to face his demons he'd hesitated after lunch, uncertain whether he should push too soon at his reimbursed restraint. He took a long moment to pause; knowing Zahra didn't want to move, that Craig wanted him to just get it over with; one way or the other. He knew Quinn believed in him; and he knew Kele, despite feeling guilty over it, at least partly hoped he would fail and kill Taylor Lee. He didn't want to be the only weak one of their family. 

Ironically, this was what finally made Jake's decision for him. "Head to class. I'll see ya later." He said, standing and striding off to the class he shared with Taylor, wondering if he was right or wrong; but ultimately deciding that Craig was right. He either would, or wouldn't kill Taylor; and no amount of delaying that fact would change it.

He pulled his chair back with unnecessary roughness when he reached his seat, having already filled his lungs with air from the corridor; holding it within his chest to try and keep himself from even the smallest hint of that maddening, delicious scent.

Jake knew he heard the sound; but he did not look up, but his hand missed a loop in the design he was drawing, making it unbalanced.

Why didn't he look up? Probably he was frightened. Of course, Taylor had been frightened. Jake already knew the human had been aware of his raging behavior the last time they met. Having already filled his lungs with clean air at the doorway, Jake was a bit more confident in his control. Jake decided he should make sure to leave Taylor with a different impression this time. Make him think he'd been imagining things before.

"Hey," he said in the quiet voice he used when he wanted to make humans more comfortable, forming a polite smile with his lips that would not show any teeth.

He looked up then, his wide bottomless eyes startled, almost bewildered; and full of silent questions. It was the same expression that had been obstructing Jake's vision for the entire week he'd spent in self inflicted isolation.

As he stared into those oddly deep blue eyes, Jake realized that the hate; the hate he'd imagined this man somehow deserved for simply existing, had evaporated. Not breathing now, not tasting his scent, it was hard to believe that anyone so vulnerable, could ever justify any kind of hatred.

His cheeks began to flush; and he said nothing.

Jake kept his eyes on Taylor's, focusing only on their questioning depths; and tried to ignore the appetizing color of his skin. He had enough breath to speak for a while longer without inhaling.

"Name's Jake," he continued as Taylor blinked owlishly. "Didn't get a chance to say howdy last week. Ya gotta be Taylor Lee."

He seemed confused; there was that little pucker between his eyes again. It took him half a second longer than it should have for him to respond. "Uh, hey... you." He said awkwardly, far more endearing than Jake felt he had a right to be. "H-how do you know my name?" He demanded then. His voice shook just a little.

Jake realised he must have truly terrified the redhead. He felt vaguely guilty; but he deemed it a worthy trade, his life or his fear. He forced a gentle laugh; it was a sound that he knew made humans more at ease. Again, he was careful about my teeth. "Heh, think everyone knows _your_ name. Whole town's been buzzin', waitin' for ya."

"No," Taylor persisted stubbornly. Jake was torn between amusement and exasperation; desperately wishing he could hear his thoughts and understand what he was thinking. "I meant, why did you call me Taylor?"

"Do you prefer Taylorence?" Jake asked, perplexed by the fact that he couldn't see where the question was leading. He didn't understand. Surely, Taylor had made his preference clear many times that first day. Were all humans this incomprehensible without the mental context as a guide? Jake wasn't sure he could remember anymore.

"S_hut up _!” Taylor hissed, glancing around and sagging with clear relief when the nobody appeared to be staring at him. “I like Taylor," he added quickly, clearing his throat as his cheeks filled tantalizingly once more. "But I think Scott; I mean my dad, must call me… _that _, behind my back. It's what everyone here seems to know me as." His skin darkened one shade pinker.

"Oh." Jake said lamely, and quickly looked away.

He realized what Taylor's questions meant. He had slipped up; made an error. If he hadn't been eavesdropping on all the others that first day, then he would have addressed him initially by his full name, just like everyone else. He'd noticed the difference. Jake felt a pang of unease. It was very quick of him to pick up on such a small slip. Quite astute, especially for someone who was supposed to be terrified at the time.

But by then he had bigger problems than whatever suspicions about him Taylor might be keeping locked inside his head. Jake was out of air. If he were going to speak to him again, he would have to inhale. It would be hard to avoid speaking. Jake leaned as far away as he could, as close to the window as he was naturally able; and sucked in a quick chest full of air. 

It was genuinely painful. Even without smelling him, Jake could taste Taylor on his tongue. His throat was suddenly in flames again, the craving every bit as strong as that first moment he'd caught his scent the week before.

Then came the work they were forced to do together. Then they'd touched for the first time.

"Ya mind if I check that for ya?" Instinctively; stupidly, as if he were one of Taylor's own kind, Jake reached out to stop Taylor's hand from removing the slide. For one second, the heat of the redheads skin burned into Jake's . It was like an electric pulse; surely much hotter than a mere ninety eight point six degrees. The heat shot through his hand and up his arm.

Taylor yanked his hand out from under Jake's.

"Er, sorry."

Jake managed to rein it in and continued interacting with Taylor for the remainder of the assignment. At the very least, he could get the human to think that his previous behavior can be blamed on fickle human mood swings. As the minutes passed, Jake found himself even more intrigued by the human and frustrated he couldn't get into his mind. He found himself staring after they'd finished, in part trying to bore his way into those secluded, secret thoughts which taunted him; in part, really looking at Taylor for the first time. He found himself most drawn to the light and dark contrast of his skin and his red hair; and then there were the eyes, brimming over with silent secrets...

Eyes that were suddenly boring into Jake's.

Jake stared back at Taylor, trying to guess even one of those secrets in his bottomless eyes.

"Did you get contacts?" He asked abruptly.

What a dumb question. "No." Jake almost smirked at the idea of improving his eyesight.

"Oh," he mumbled. "I thought there was something different about your eyes." 

Jake felt suddenly colder again as he realized that he was apparently not the only one attempting to ferret out secrets today. He shrugged, his shoulders stiff; and glared straight ahead to where the lecturer was making his rounds.

Of course there was something different about his eyes since the last time he'd stared into them. Jake had been overdoing it really, with Mike's training and then hunting; satiating himself more than he'd needed. He'd glutted himself on the blood of animals, not that it made much difference in the face of the outrageous flavor floating on the air around Taylor. When he'd glared at him last, he knew his eyes had been black with thirst. Now, his body swimming with blood, his eyes were his natural human blue. Light and clear as a cloudless sky, from his excessive attempt at thirst-quenching.

Another slip. If Jake had seen what he'd meant with his question, he could have just told him yes.

Jake had sat in a room full of humans for two years now at various college's, thanks to Mike's insistence that he needed to be doing something, rather than be allowed to live out his endless days in their home in the woods; alone in his thoughts and his admittedly destructive boredom. Yet, despite the length of his enforced education; Taylor was the first to examine him closely enough to note the change in his eye color. 

Why did it have to be Taylor, who would see too much? It didn't seem like he had any kind of malice, or fear over the realisation. Though, he'd never know for sure if he was faking that; since his goddamn mind was off limits. It was infuriating and it half made Jake wish he could pull his hair out. Especially when Taylor's answers during their brief, almost conversation, only served to give Jake more questions. How could a human be so utterly selfless? Jake had despised having to admit it, but he had been entirely lost after awhile; unable to predict any of the motivations, feelings or thoughts that the redhead might harbour in his secretive head.

Jake had taken some small solace from the fact that he'd managed to annoy Taylor however, a small sense of vindication for all the frustration he felt at not being able to understand the puzzle the other male represented. Then too, the redhead's amusing, enthused singing in his noisy truck after the day had ended, had done wonders to make him feel a bit better. 

The redhead with the un-readable thoughts, kept surprising Jake every second he existed. This had the potential to be a very bad thing but, despite the fact that all of their lives depended on Jake's ability to foresee trouble for them; Jake found himself curious, excited even, for the first time in over a century. How maddeningly glorious to have a mystery in his life again.

He found himself fleeing the class again when the bell sounded, Craig waiting just outside the doorway; either to steer Jake away after succeeding or to help him clean up after failing, Jake didn't really care.

_How did it go?_ He wondered warily.

"Nobody died," Jake mumbled back. That would just have to do.

**III. Unexpected Hero**

Jake knew he should be heading in already, but he was having too much fun watching Taylor check his snow chains. He actually looked in some danger of falling, the way his feet were sliding around. No one else was having trouble though, had he parked in the worst of the ice? Jake was burning with curiosity.

Taylor paused there, staring down with a strange expression on his face. It was... tender? As if something about the tire was making him... emotional? Again, the curiosity ached like a thirst. It was as if Jake had to know what the redhead was thinking; as if nothing else mattered. He was torn, debating whether to go over and offer some sort of assistance to the clearly struggling male, but knowing he was the worst person to offer aide to him.

_"NO!"_ Quinn gasped aloud.

Instantly, Jake scanned her thoughts, guessing at first that he had made a poor choice and she saw him doing something inexcusable; like feeding on Taylor, there in the parking lot, forcing the others to clean up the countless witnesses. But the vision had nothing to do with Jake at all.

Caleb Mitchell had chosen to take the turn into the parking lot at an idiotic speed. This choice would send him skidding across a patch of ice...

The vision came just half a second before the reality. Caleb's van rounded the corner as Jake was still watching the conclusion that had pulled the horrified gasp through Quinn's lips. It had happened so fast, even for Jake.

No, the vision had nothing to do with Jake; and yet it had everything to do with him, because Caleb's van; the tires right now hitting the ice at the worst possible angle, was going to spin across the lot and crush the man who had become the uninvited focal point of Jake's world.

Even without Quinn's foresight it would have been simple enough to read the trajectory of the vehicle, flying out of Caleb's control.

Taylor, standing in the exactly wrong place at the back of his truck, looked up, bewildered by the sound of the screeching tires. He looked straight into Jake's horror struck eyes; and then turned to watch his approaching death.

_Not him!_ The words shouted in Jake's head as if they belonged to someone else. Even without Quinn around to show him, he could easily see what was about to happen the moment he heard the screeching of tires on pavement. It was like he could already smell the blood, splattered, coming out from Taylor's broken body. Jake saw the vision suddenly shift, but he had no time to see what the outcome would be as he launched himself across the lot.

Jake threw himself between the skidding van and the frozen man. He moved so fast that everything was a streaky blur except for the object of his focus. Taylor didn't see him; no human eyes could have followed his flight, still staring at the hulking shape that was about to grind Taylor's body into the metal frame of his truck.

Jake caught him around the waist, moving with too much urgency to be as gentle as Taylor would need him to be. In the hundredth of a second between the time that he yanked the redhead out of the path of death; and the time that he crashed into to the ground with him in his arms, Jake was vividly aware of Taylor's fragile, breakable body.

When he heard Taylor's head crack against the ice, it felt like Jake had turned to ice, too.

But he didn't even have a full second to ascertain the redhead's condition. He heard the van behind them, grating and squealing as it twisted around the sturdy iron body of the man's truck. It was changing course, arcing, coming for him again; like he was a magnet, pulling it toward them.

"_Shit!_" Jake cursed, knowing he had already done too much. Even as he'd nearly flown through the air to push Taylor out of the way, he'd been fully aware of the mistake he was making. Knowing that it was a mistake did not stop him, but he was not oblivious to the risk he was taking; taking, not just for himself, but for his entire family. It certainly wasn't going to help, but there was no way he was going to allow the van to succeed in its second attempt to take the redhead's life.

Jake dropped Taylor and threw his hands out, catching the van before it could touch the man. The force of it hurled him back into the car parked beside the truck, and Jake could feel its frame buckle behind his shoulders. The van shuddered and shivered against the unyielding obstacle of his arms; and then swayed, balancing unstably on the two far tires. If Jake moved his hands, the back tire of the van was going fall onto Taylor's legs.

Would the catastrophes never end? Was there anything else that could go wrong? Taylor seemed to be destined to die today; but Jake was unprepared to allow the travesty to occur. In the same manner, he couldn't sit there, holding a van in the air and gaily wait for rescue. Nor could he throw the van away; there was the driver to consider also,

With an internal groan, Jake shoved the van so that it rocked away from them for an instant. As it fell back toward him, he caught it under the frame with his right hand while he wrapped his left around the redhead's waist again and drug him out from under the van, pulling him tight up against Jake's side. His body moved limply as Jake swung him around, so that his legs would be in the clear.

Was he even conscious? How much damage had Jake done to him in him impromptu rescue attempt? Jake's thoughts were edged with panic.

Jake let the van drop, now that it could not hurt Taylor. The intangible pain Jake felt at the idea of a dead Taylor didn't feel like a resistance to quench his thirst, but something much more. He needed to know he was alive.

"Boy Scout? Ya still with me?" 

"I'm fine." An automatic response, dazed, unaware of anything that had happened.

Jake hoped.

Relief, so exquisite it was nearly pain, washed through Jake at the sound of his voice. Jake sucked in a breath through his teeth; and did not mind the accompanying burn in his throat. Hell, he almost welcomed it.

Taylor struggled to sit up, but Jake was not ready to release him. It felt somehow... safer? Better, at least, having the redhead tucked into his side for the time being. For both their sakes. "Careful," Jake warned as he kept a firm hold on him, still tense. "I think ya hit ya head pretty hard, there." 

"Oh… _oooow _," 

"Heh, told ya so." 

There, at that moment, when Jake hears the wince, he was finally able to relax. Because Taylor was still alive, if slightly disoriented; and there was no blood spilt, a mercy if ever there was one. Unfortunately, he wasn't as dazed as Jake would've hope. Because then, Taylor might've believed him about being right next to him.

The relief turned sour, the humor vanished. Taylor had noticed too much.

There was just one brief breakthrough on Jake's part, one small piece of the puzzle which Taylor presented to him. Upon Chief of Police, Scott Lee's arrival; and obvious panic, seeing his son being loaded into an ambulance, he was afforded the opportunity to test a sudden theory. He turned his 'hearing' towards the redhead's father.

Scott Lee was not as silent as his son, but Jake could see where he got it from. Interesting, to say the least. Mike once said the 'gifts' of an immortal's life were generally still present in the human which came before, though Jake had always dismissed the idea. He wondered now if he had been right to.

He'd never spent much time around the town's police chief, had always taken him for a man of slow thought; but now, Jake realized that he was the one who was slow. Chief Lee's thoughts were partially concealed, not absent. Jake could only make out the tenor, the tone of them... but not the thought. He wanted to listen harder, to see if he could find in this new, lesser puzzle; the key to Taylor's secrets.

But the redhead was loaded into the back by then; and the ambulance was on its way.

"No blood, no foul."

Jake smirked playfully at his little inside joke, even if he was literally the only one in on it. Still, part of him wanted to smack Caleb into needing a new jaw. The damn idiot lived in this town for longer than Taylor, he should know better than to go driving when the wheels of his car weren't chained. Putting up with Taylor's intoxicating scent hard enough. Jake couldn't comprehend how he'd of handled it if the redhead's blood had been spilt during the accident. Jake groused internally, silently wishing he hadn't been at the scene when the 'what-could've-been-a-homicide' occurred. At least, if Taylor ended up dying that moment, his intoxicating scent with that irritating undercurrent of passion fruit, would no longer be around to bother him.

_Would help havin' his nosiness gone, too._

Jake frowned as he felt a twinge of pain at the thought of Taylor dead, though. He remembered moments before and during the accident. Instead of his initial concern being the blood that could've been spilt if he hadn't taken the risk, Jake could remember with great certainty that the only thought going through his mind was a single mantra: Taylor is not going to die today.

Logically, Jake had to accept that even if he left; abandoned his home and his family, Taylor would eventually die... and he shouldn't be so bothered by it as he was, no matter how amusing he found the redhead. In their many lifetimes, they'd all had to interact with some humans because of necessity, to ward off suspicions and live natural lives as possible. Because complete isolation from society and avoidance of interaction, tends to draw out a few questions. And the last thing they needed was a curious fellow sniffing them out. They could always change locations, but Mike knew Grace and the others were tired of having to keep doing that. So they were at the agreement to hold up pretenses.

There had been very few humans that they had enjoyed associating with; a pleasant farm couple, an orphaned newspaper boy, a lonely widow, and then; inevitably, they died. Sometimes they weren't around, they only heard of their deaths passing; and that was that. It didn't take a second for them get over it. It's expected. Human lives are short.

But Jake had a strong feeling, an undeniable sense, that Taylor's death would be as devastating to him, as the end of any of his family.

Even when Taylor definitely didn't want to go easy on Jake's patience.

He was glad Mike was around, because he could feel his resolve wavering again because the redhead's scent started torturing him once more, especially with his thoughts so chaotic about the dangerous attention he may have brought down upon his family.

_How's bein' all feisty making 'im all the more temptin'?_

Jake waited in Mike's office while Mike was doing his 'checks' on Taylor, trying to control his desire to simply sink his teeth into the pretty little neck. His brother had been proud of him, they'd even shared a joke; Mike recalling Jake's previous claims of how 'Taylor would never need protecting from anything more than Jake'. He was touched at his brother's support and belief in him; and once he'd seen Taylor's X-ray and knew he hadn't hurt him, he allowed himself to feel relief and finally pride. He had saved him, not killed him.

Idiot! Fucking lunatic! Selfish Moron! Jackass! Reckless, irresponsible prick! Zahra kept up a constant stream of insults at the top of her mental lungs until Jake had finally given in and stomped out to talk to her, Mike coming to make sure they didn't get any further than a quiet exchange of words; though even that was cut short when they heard Taylor's soft gasp, uncertain how long he'd been listening.

By the end of the day, Jake still didn't know what aggravated him more. Zahra telling him off and apparently 'giving a fuck' when it came to rules all of the sudden. Or, Taylor clearly having no intentions of letting things go. While Jake had tried hard to throw him off, it seemed that the redhead was sharper and even more obstinate than he was himself.

It startled Jake that he somehow believed that Taylor wouldn't tell anyone, even if he was finally let in on their big secret. It puzzled him, feeling an immense trust in the redhead. But the thing was, the secret wasn't simply his own. And while Zahra gave him hell earlier, he cared for her. Jake cared for all of them. And he couldn't just out them to a human even if he had an inexplicable sense of trust in him.

He just couldn't deal with any more of this. "Hope ya enjoy disappointment then, Boy Scout." 

**IV. Wide Berth**

Jake hadn't meant to slip in his attempt to block Taylor from his life, he'd wanted only to keep the redhead safe for the past week; could he not understand that? Jake was trying to be _good,_ even if he was being an asshole to achieve his goal. Once he'd slipped, once he'd allowed himself one small look in Taylor's direction, he couldn't help himself. He had to talk to him, to get a warning into that insufferably silent head that he had.

Of course, Taylor voicing his thoughts only made things worse. Jake had seemed to be doing so well too; until he made yet another slip. "Trust me." He'd said; and instantly Taylor's eyes tightened. Jake had remembered then, that he had said those words to the redhead before; just before breaking a promise. He winced when his teeth clenched together. He clearly remembered, too.

"I don't recall you having a say in what I decide to do with my life. Saving it doesn't give you ownership rights, you know." He said, as Jake's brows rose in surprise. He'd never heard Taylor speak with such a commanding tone before. He didn't like that he thought it suited him. Taylor seemed too surprised by his own behaviour to notice Jake's reaction, so he quickly rearranged his expression before the redhead continued. "It's too bad you didn't figure that out earlier," he said angrily. "You could have saved yourself all this regret."

Jake stared at him in shock and confusion, even dread made an appearance. What did Taylor know of Jake's regrets?

"Regret? Regret for what?" He demanded.

"For not just letting that stupid van squish me!" he snapped back.

Jake froze, stunned. _How the hell can he be thinkin' that? Savin' his goddamn life was the one acceptable thing I done since I met him!_ It was the one thing that Jake was not ashamed of. The one and only thing that made him glad he existed at all. He'd been fighting to keep him alive since the first moment he'd caught the redhead's scent. How could he think this of him? How dare the little shit?

Taylor jerked his face away, gritting his teeth again. His cheeks were flushed, with anger this time. He slammed his books together in a pile, yanked them up into his arms, and marched toward the door without meeting Jake's icy stare. Even irritated as he was, it was impossible not to find the redhead's anger a bit entertaining. He walked stiffly, without looking where he was going, and his foot caught on the lip of the doorway. He stumbled, and his things all crashed to the ground. Instead of bending to get them, he stood rigidly straight, not even looking down, as if he were not sure the books were worth retrieving.

Jake barely managed not to laugh.

No one was here to watch him; so he flitted to Taylor's side, and had his books put in order before he looked down.

Taylor bent halfway, saw Jake; and then froze. He handed the redhead's books back to him, making sure that his icy skin never touched Taylor's.

"Thanks." He bit out tiredly. The redhead's tone brought back Jake's irritation tenfold.

Jake's eyes narrowed. "Ya welcome," he retorted. Then he spoke again, his tone icy and furious. "Ya really think I regret savin' ya life?"

"I know you do," Taylor mumbled, lowering his eyes as he shoved some books in his bag.

"Ya ain't gotta damn clue 'bout nothin'." Jake retorted, wondering again at the audacity of the redhead to assume such a thing.

He wrenched herself upright and threw Jake a reproachful glance, before he turned away and muttered beneath his breath as he stomped away to her next class. "I know you hate me."

Jake watched until he could no longer see his angry silhouette; uncertain why he felt so cold at the assumption.

It was at the end of the day, as he was already heading out of the college that he heard the whispers of Caleb's thoughts from his class, which had been held back. The lingering irritation made Jake feel particularly spiteful, he was ready to take some glee from Taylor's misery.

This Jake had to see.

"Wait for the others here, all right?" He murmured to Craig.

He eyed Jake suspiciously, but then shrugged and nodded.

_Jake's lost his mind,_ he thought, amused by my odd request.

Jake saw Taylor on his way out of the gym, and he waited where the redhead would not see him for Taylor to pass. As he got closer to his truck, where Myra was waiting to ambush him with her latest matchmaking scheme, Jake strode forward, setting his pace so that he would walk by at _just_ the right moment.

Taylor and Myra chatted for a moment, but Jake could sense the awkwardness in Taylor's shoulders, which told him the redhead was being at least partially dishonest about something. He couldn't help the small snort which escaped him as he passed, anticipating the redhead's reaction eagerly. 

Taylor whirled at the sound, but Jake stared straight ahead, trying to keep his lips from twitching in amusement.

Caleb was behind him, almost running in his hurry to catch Taylor before he could drive away. 

Jake wanted him to succeed in catching the redhead for two reasons. If; as he was beginning to suspect, all this attention was annoying to Taylor, then he wanted to enjoy watching his reaction. But, if it was not; if Caleb's invitation was the one he'd been hoping for, then Jake wanted to know that, too.

Taylor was too good for a monster. He shouldn't hope that the redhead turned Caleb down as well.

Jake ought to have let him escape, he knew that, but his damnable curiosity kept him from doing what was right. Again. But what if Caleb missed his chance now, only to contact Taylor later when Jake would have no way of knowing the outcome? He pulled his Audi out into the narrow lane, blocking Taylor's exit.

Craig and the others were on their way, but he'd described Jake's strange behavior to them; and they were walking slowly, watching him, trying to decipher what the hell he was doing. Quinn was smiling, no doubt already watching the future; though Jake didn't check. He kept his eyes on his rear view mirror, his lips curving into a slow grin as he watched the redhead glower toward the back of his car; without meeting his gaze, looking as if he wished he were driving a tank rather than his truck.

Caleb hurried to his car and got in line behind Taylor, grateful for his inexplicable behavior. He waved at Taylor, trying to catch his attention, but he didn't notice. He waited a moment, and then left his car, sauntering up to the passenger side window. He tapped on the glass.

Jake knew he was right to have waited for this.

The horrified expression on Taylor's face was priceless. It told him too, something he should not so desperately have wanted to know; that the redhead had no feelings for any of these human males who wished to court him.

Also, his expression was the funniest damn thing he'd ever seen.

Jake's family arrived then, confused by the fact that he was, for a change, rocking with laughter rather than scowling murderously at everything in sight. He watched as Taylor's eyes narrowed, his truck inching closer to Jake's Audi as he was struck by a fresh wave of laughter. He wore the most hilarious, furious expression he'd ever seen and damn it all, Jake was utterly thrilled he'd had the chance to witness it. None of his family spoke to him on the way home, but Jake continued to snort and snicker; every time he remembered the redhead's furious indignation.

He made sure to burn the memory into his heart forever.

**V. Complex Answers**

"Figured if I'm goin' to hell, I might as well do it thoroughly. Maybe enjoy the scenery."

It's amusing, Jake found, that Taylor's so-called 'friends' were irate at him for taking the red head away. Well, perhaps not all of them were pissed, as Myra was internally squealing in glee and tugged at Cameron in her delight, while the latter simply smiled in amusement. And definitely not all of them were as pissed as Brian.

Kara was seething, too, though. Unlike the others, she had been more obvious about her clear disdain for Taylor. Her thoughts made it loud and clear. Well, loud and clear for Jake.

_'What the actual goddamn fuck?! The little shit even has friggin Jake McKenzie's fancy?!?'_

It had been far too amusing for Jake.

Of course, she didn't plan to verbalize it, as it would social suicide right now, considering the chief's son reputation. But she didn't make an effort to get his attention either.

Jake gathered that most of the others mostly wanted Taylor around due to the attention that came with it. As for Caleb... Well, Jake wish he had a reason to loathe the guy who almost killed his Taylor, but the olive-skinned guy was generally nice, if slightly envious.

_Huh,_ Jake wondered with a brief frown, _when did I start thinking of Taylor as mine? _ He supposed Quinn's vision was the reason. He still remembered it all; crystal clear, like a movie still playing in his head.

Quinn had the vision after the accident, while Zahra and Kele had stood opposed to letting Taylor live. Erasing the evidence; that was what they'd called it. Jake had seen glimpses, but Quinn shook her head, trying to not let him in.

"Is it 'bout him?" Jake finally demanded. "Is it 'bout Taylor?"

She had her teeth gritted in concentration, but when Jake spoke Taylor's name, she slipped. Her slip only lasted the tiniest portion of a second, but that was long enough. 

_"NO!"_ Jake shouted. He distantly heard his chair hit the floor, and only then realized he was on my feet.

"Jake!" Mike was on his feet, too, his arm on Jake's shoulder, though he was barely aware of him.

"It's solidifying," Quinn whispered. "Every minute you're more decided... There're really only two ways left for him. It's one or the other, Jake." He could see what she saw... but he couldn't accept it.

"No," he said again; there was no volume to his denial. His legs felt hollow, and he had to brace himself against the table.

"Will somebody _please_ let the rest of us in on the mystery?" Craig complained.

"I gotta leave," Jake whispered to Alice, pleading as they ignored him.

"Jake, dude, we've already been over that," Craig said loudly. "That's the best way to start the guy talking. Besides, if you take off, we won't know for sure if he's talking or not. You gotta stay and deal with this, brah."

"I don't see you going anywhere, Jake," Quinn told me. "I don't know if you _can_ leave anymore." _Think about it,_ she added silently. _Think about leaving._

Jake saw what she meant. The very idea of never seeing the redhead again was... painful. But he knew it was also necessary. He couldn't sanction either future he'd apparently condemned Taylor to.

_I'm not entirely sure of Kele, Jake,_ Quinn went on. _If you leave, if he thinks he's a danger to us..._

"I don't hear that," Jake contradicted her roughly, still only halfway aware of their audience.

Kele was wavering. He would not do something that would hurt Quinn.

_Not right this moment. Will you risk his life, leave his undefended?_

"Why are you doing this to me?" Jake groaned, his head falling into his hands. He was not Taylor's protector. He could not be that; could never be that.

Wasn't Quinn's divided future enough proof of that?

_I love him, too. Or I will. It's not the same, but I want him around for that._

"Love him... too?" Jake whispered, incredulous.

She sighed. _You are so blind, Jake. Can't you see where you're headed? __Can't you see where you already are? It's more inevitable than the sun rising in the east. See what I see..._

I shook my head, horrified. "No." He tried to shut out the visions she revealed to him now. "I ain't gotta follow that course. I'll leave. I _will_ change the future."

"You can try," she said, her voice skeptical.

"Oh, come on!" Craig bellowed.

"Pay attention, loser." Zahra hissed at him, though her scowl was locked onto Jake. "Quinn sees him falling for a human! How classically Jake!" She made a gagging sound.

Jake scarcely heard her.

"What?" Craig said, startled. Then his booming laugh echoed through the room. "Is _that_ what's been going on?" He laughed again. "Tough break, bro."

Jake felt his hand on my shoulder, and he shook it off absently. He couldn't pay attention to him.

"Fall for a human?" Grace repeated in a stunned voice, her fingers tapping together as was her habit. "For the man he saved? Fall in love with him?"

"What do you see, Quinn? Exactly," Kele demanded.

She turned toward him; Jake continued to stare numbly at the side of her face.

"It all depends on whether he's strong enough or not. Either he'll kill Taylor himself," she turned to meet Jake's gaze again, glaring. "Which would _really_ irritate me, _Jacob_, not to mention what it would do to _you—_" she faced Kele again, "or... he'll be one of us someday."

Someone gasped; Jake didn't look to see who.

"That's _not_ gonna bloody happen!" He was shouting again. "Neither of 'em!"

Quinn didn't seem to hear him. "It all depends," she repeated distractedly. "He may be just strong enough not to kill him, but it will be close. It will take an amazing amount of control," she mused. "More even than Mike has. He may be just strong enough... The only thing he's _not_ strong enough to do... is stay away from him. That's a lost cause." 

Jake couldn't find his voice. No one else seemed to be able to either. The room was still. He stared at Alice; and everyone else stared at him. Jake could see his own horrified expression from five different viewpoints in the room.

After a long moment, Mike sighed. "Well, this... complicates shit."

"I'll say," Craig agreed. His voice was still close to laughter. Trust Craig to find the joke in the destruction of someone's life; even if it was Jake's.

_Yep,_ Jake sighed, _I'm goin' to hell alright. Fuck shit, I may already be in it..._

**Author's Note:**

> Taylor - Bella  
Julia Mason - Renee  
Jordan Lee - as himself, sharing with Julia's role as an extra Renee  
Jim Kelly - Phil  
Michael Harrison - as himself, sharing with Jim's role as an extra Phil  
Scott Lee - Charlie  
Ricardo Soto Senior - Billy  
Mr. Ventus - Technology/IT Professor  
Brian Crandall - Mike (a jerky type of Mike)  
Jake McKenzie - Edward Cullen  
Quinn "Kelly" McKenzie - Alice Cullen  
Zahra "Namazi" Darwin - Rosalie Hale  
Kele Darwin - Jasper Hale  
Craig "Hsiao" Darwin - Emmett Cullen  
Grace "Tamara Hall" Darwin - Esme Cullen (But not the wife)  
Zoe Leon - Jessica  
Mike Darwin - Carlisle Cullen (but Jake's pseudo older brother as oppose to Carlisle's father role)  
Cameron - Angela  
Caleb - Tyler  
Myra - Eric  
Aiden - Ben  
Mr. Chalmers - English LIT Professor  
Coach Burke - Gym teacher  
Kara - Lauren  
Max - as himself


End file.
